Older Hispanics tend to be more religious and socially conservative. And, as the largest ethnic group in the Golden State, they could decide key facets of the election.

This week a poll on Nevada’s own legalization effort could be a bad omen for California. The anti-pot group Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM Action) released survey results that show that 71 percent of likely Hispanic voters would give recreational legalization the thumbs down.

Nevada’s November measure to legalize recreational pot is called Question 2.

Twenty-six percent of Latinos said they’d approve legalization. And three percent were undecided, SAM Action said.

“Nevada Hispanics — more than one-quarter of the state’s population — do not like Question 2 since it hurts their communities,” said Kevin Sabet, SAM Action’s president. “They see that it is all about making a handful of out-of-state investors rich and selling pot candy to kids, instead of about civil rights or personal freedom. And they know that kid-friendly pot products are the last thing they and their families need.”

However, the survey’s sample size of 400 is woefully small. Most legit polls involve 1,000 or more subjects.

Still, SAM Action says the results were consistent across party lines, with 72 percent of Democrats and 81 percent of Republicans opposing the question.

If you don’t like these results and you live in Nevada, there’s one major thing you can do: Vote.

About The Author

Raul Duke has been working as a journalist in Southern California for two decades. The medical marijuana juggernaut is one of his many beats. He's a longtime Westside resident who needs to renew his doctor's recommendation soon. If you have news tips, reach out: raul@the420times.com